Method, system and device for improved storage and handling of components

A method in an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse adapted to obtain information related to upcoming Surface Mount Technology (SMT) jobs, and to store SMT job related objects at a plurality of positions within said automated SMD warehouse, said automated SMD warehouse including at least one actuator configured to automatically handle the SMT job related objects within said automated SMD warehouse, the method comprising:

• receiving a bin at an input port of said automated SMD warehouse, said bin including a plurality of bin load units, each of said plurality of bin load units including a pallet including a component tape reel, the pallet including a particular gripping area configured to enable gripping of the pallet by the at least one actuator;
• automatically determining tape reel identifiers of the component tape reels in said bin, said automatically determining including at least one of
• scanning, using a barcode scanner in said automated SMD warehouse, identity tags of the plurality of bin load units in said bin at the input port with the plurality of bin load units positioned in respective slots or compartments of said bin,
• moving, using said at least one actuator, the plurality of bin load units in said bin into positions in which the identity tags of the plurality of bin load units are scannable by a fixed bar code scanner in the automated SMD warehouse, or
• obtaining a bin identifier for the bin by scanning or reading an identity tag attached to said bin, and retrieving, from an SMT information database, the tape reel identifiers of the component tape reels associated with said bin identifier;
• and
• automatically storing, using said at least one actuator, said bin at one of said plurality of positions within said automated SMD warehouse.

An integrated automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse cluster comprising:

• a first automated SMD warehouse having a first opening and a first actuator;
• and
• a second automated SMD warehouse having a second opening and a second actuator;
• wherein
• the first actuator is configured to handle or grip a bin in the second opening, and the second actuator is configured to handle or grip a bin in the first opening,
• the integrated automated SMD warehouse cluster is configured to automatically redistribute bins between the first and second automated SMD warehouses using the first actuator and the second actuator via the first opening and the second opening;
• wherein
• each bin includes a plurality of slots or compartments,
• each of the plurality of slots or compartments is configured to hold a bin load unit, and
• each bin load unit includes a pallet including component tape reel, the pallet including a particular gripping area configured to enable gripping of the pallet by at least one actuator of the first actuator and the second actuator.

A cluster of automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouses, each automated SMD warehouse comprising:

• a processor, and
• an actuator communicatively coupled to said processor;
• wherein said processor is configured to
• receive at least one of input data or a parameter, the at least one of input data or parameter indicative of a position within said automated SMD warehouse, or a position within the cluster of automated SMD warehouses, and
• send control data to the actuator based on the at least one of input data or parameter;
• wherein the actuator is configured to, based on the control data,
• retrieve a bin from (i) said position within the automated SMD warehouse or (ii) the position within the cluster of automated SMD warehouses,
• present said retrieved bin at an output port of said automated SMD warehouse;
• and
• wherein each automated SMD warehouse is configured to store and retrieve bins;
• wherein said cluster of automated SMD warehouses is further configured to retrieve and redistribute bins between storage positions in different ones of the automated SMD warehouses;
• wherein each automated SMD warehouse is further configured to present said retrieved bin at an output port of said automated SMD warehouse;
• wherein each bin includes a plurality of slots or compartments;
• wherein each of the plurality of slots or compartments is configured to hold a bin load unit;
• and
• wherein each bin load unit includes a pallet including a component tape reel, the pallet including a particular gripping area configured to enable gripping of the pallet by at least one actuator of the first actuator and the second actuator.